FORMER ARU supremo John O'Neill has called for a historic clash between the British and Irish Lions and an Anzac XV to be staged at Twickenham in 2015 to commemorate the centenary of World War I.

O'Neill believes unique circumstances of the 2015 world rugby schedule present an ideal opportunity for the Lions and a combined Wallabies-All Blacks side to play on or around Armistice Day, and honour fallen Commonwealth soldiers in the Great War.

"2015 is the centenary anniversary of Gallipoli and the rugby league guys and everyone are talking about how we're going to commemorate it," O'Neill said.

"The 2015 World Cup finishes on October 31, and as close as possible to November 11 - Remembrance Day - the British and Irish Lions should play a combined Wallabies-All Blacks side at Twickenham. It would be a fantastic event."

O'Neill said he'd had informal discussions about the idea with several parties before leaving the ARU last October, and had intended to press the idea hard with Lions bosses when they arrive in June.

He wants his successors at the ARU to lobby for the Lions-Anzacs blockbuster, which could see Trans-Tasman combinations like Will Genia and Dan Carter uniting at the home of rugby.

"I can't speak on the ARU's behalf now, so it is up to somebody else," O'Neill said. "It wouldn't be hard. The Lions never play at home, but to commemorate 100 years since World War I and Gallipoli ...

"You can't do it on April 25 because that's in the middle of Super Rugby.

"But a couple of weeks after the World Cup, assembling the British and Irish Lions to play the Anzacs at Twickenham would be a wonderful way to commemorate the 100 years."

History and tradition would need to flex enormously for the Lions-Anzacs to happen, not least for the fact the Lions have only ever played as a touring side.

But the Lions have shown some willingness to embrace new - and profitable - ideas, playing the Barbarians in Hong Kong before arriving in Australia.

Proposed North-South battles are often scuttled because of tight international calendars but players would be on leave and free to remain in London and play in November after the 2015 World Cup.

Twickenham would undoubtedly be a sell-out. This would be hugely attractive in a World Cup year, when there are no Test tours allowed and nations tend to suffer huge financial losses.

Though not discussing the prospect of them playing against the Lions, IRB boss Brett Gosper said recently he was sceptical an Anzac or combined SANZAR team could tour the north in the same fashion as the Lions.

"There have been discussions around that for a long time. But I think the Lions have such a history and a tradition, it would be very hard to replicate that with a southern team's tour in the north. It doesn't mean you shouldn't try but people have talked about it, and the realisation is it would be a very hard thing to do,'' Gosper said.

Gosper said the potential creation of a "Ryder Cup'' style points battle between north and south could re-energise discussions, however.

"We are certainly looking at the possibility of in those windows, June and November, of maybe applying a points system; a bit like Ryder Cup, to increase the competitiveness between the northern and southern hemisphere. Those matches are never friendlies, but it might help them not just feel like one-offs,'' Gosper said.

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Comments on this story

Max of Brissie Posted at 8:36 AM May 10, 2013

If they really wanted to make it historic, have the ANZAC rugby team play against a Turkish Rugby team where the Poms deliver them to the wrong ground !!

Fullback48 of Ruakokapatuna Posted at 6:42 AM May 10, 2013

O'Neale is hated in NZ after his many business manevoures to shaft the NZRU whenever he could. He doesn't even work for the ARU any more and here he is still trying to tell the Kiwis what to do. He knows the All Blacks bring in the big bucks and the ARU has made a loss of $19M in the last two years, while the NZRU has made a small profit. Go back to your corporate banking where you belong.

Quade McCaw Posted at 6:38 AM May 10, 2013

No point. The Lions regularly get drubbed by the All Blacks - last series was a whitewash, and the number of Wallabies in the team would be embarrassing.

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